Surpises
by WhereStarsComeFrom
Summary: Roxane has something to tell Dustfinger... can you guess what it is? And a little bit of Basta at the end to keep things interesting. Please R&R if you have a moment. Disclaimer: The wonderful Cornelia Funke owns Inkheart, not I.


Dusfinger wait among the ancient trees where the Motley Folk were camped. He was waiting for Roxane. She had not been herself lately and went to see the moss woman, Nettle. Dustfinger peered out at the road hopefully. Roxane had been gone for a couple days now. A horse walked slowly down the road, but it was the rider that made his heart skip a beat.

It was Roxane.

Her dark flowing hair hung down her back and glowed in the sun. She wore a brightly colored dress and her eyes were shining. She was so beautiful, so lovely…

Roxane rode over to him and gracefully dismounted her horse. She ran up to him and held his hands tightly. "Missed me?" she asked teasingly.

Dustfinger pretended to think about it before kissing the tip of her nose in reply. She smiled her beautiful smile and led him into the woods. "I have news to tell you,"

"What would that be?"

"Wait until we're in the forest,"

"Good news or bad news?" he asked stepping over a root.

Roxane only hummed to herself, smiling. She sat down beside an opal pond causing the fairies to flutter out over the water. The little flowers growing alongside the moss made her look down and stroke their delicate stems. Their eyes met and hers seemed to be saying, _Go on, ask me_. "Must I?" he whispered.

"Yes, I think so?"

"Fine, so what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Shall I let you guess or should I whisper it in your ear?"

"Come on now Roxane,"

Her eyes giggled at him. "Very well, I'll whisper it in your ear,"

_What could be so important that Roxane would take me out here to tell me, keep me guessing, and be happy all at the same time?_ Dustfinger thought.

Roxane leaned over to his ear and whispered, "I'm pregnant!"

Dustfinger pulled away and looked at her. He didn't know what to say. Roxane cuffed his head lightly and said playfully, "You look so surprised,"

Still, he had no answer.

Later that night, Dustfinger and the Black Price sat around at the edge of the woods. Dustfinger was letting a flame dance absentmindedly around his hand, gazing into it. "You seem distracted tonight," the Prince commented. When Dustfinger only nodded, the Prince asked, "Something in the woods?"

"You could say that,"

"A Night Mare? Or perhaps the White Women?"

"Do I really look that upset?"

The Prince laughed and replied, "More shocked would be the fitting word,"

Dustfinger sighed. Should he tell the Prince? Roxane had looked so happy, but he couldn't really grasp the concept of having a son, or a daughter. _You,_ he thought, _a father! Inconceivable!_ The thought almost scared him. What would he do? His head hurt thinking of all the possibilities. Dustfinger extinguished the flame and rested his head in his hands. "Come on now," the Black Prince said, "What's troubling you?"

"Ask Roxane," Dustfinger murmured.

The Prince gazed at the woods for a while before whispering, barely audible, "No, it can't be…"

After the initial shock, Dustfinger gradually became more used to the concept of being a father, although he had doubts if he would be any good at it. Roxane and him moved less often from place to place with the strolling players. Dustfinger missed moving around, but every time he looked at Roxane, he knew it was worth limiting his free spirit for a little while. This evening Dustfinger was wandering in the Wayless Woods, letting his mind drift away with the winds.

He heard undergrowth crackling behind him and spun around to come face to face with someone he did not care to meet in the woods or anywhere else for that matter.

"Well, well, look who I ran into," came a foxy, purring voice.

It was Basta.

Dustfinger replied, "You had better get moving, dusk will soon be upon us and it's a new moon tonight. I hear the Night Mares like especially dark nights,"

Basta drew his knife and ran his thumb over the blade lovingly. "And _you_ had better lock away that crafty tongue of yours before I add some new decorations to your collection. I'm sure Roxane would be thrilled…"

He raised his eyebrows before adding, "Speaking of Roxane…"

_No_, thought Dustfinger. Still, his face was paler than usual.

Basta scanned Dustfinger's eyes for anything before continuing, "There have been rumors going around, interesting rumors, but no one is certain whom the father to be is,"

Basta advanced on Dustfinger slowly still stroking his sinister knife and whispered, "But I think I can guess who the father is…"

Dustfinger thrust his hands towards the ground and pulled them up, creating a pillar of flames between him and Basta. He said, "Perhaps you can guess, but I'll say you were misinformed,"

And with that Dustfinger retreated to the safety of the darkness, leaving Basta yelling after him, "Damn it, Dustfinger! You play the fool but I know better! When you think you're so clever, just retrace those scars of yours and remember me!"

Dustfinger's heart thudded hard against his chest, but he was safe, for now anyway. Basta's jealousy was no match for love. He made his way out of the forest to where he could see the sky. There would always be a phantom menace hanging around him while Basta still drew breath, but his love for Roxane could ease the pain, at least for a little while.


End file.
